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A round-up of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches played on March 17

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2013

West Zone

Irfan Pathan took three wickets as Baroda beat Mumbai by 55 runs in Ahmedabad. Baroda put up an imposing 194 for 3, thanks to a power packing innings of 101 off 63 balls by Aditya Waghmode. This was his first T20 century, and he was supported by contributions from Kedar Devdhar (23) and Yusuf Pathan (40*). Mumbai, in reply, were 13 for 3 as Irfan Pathan, playing his first match after recovering from a knee injury sustained during a Ranji Trophy match in November 2012, struck two early blows. Aditya Tare’s 62 along with Siddharth Chitnis 21, proved to be the only form of resistance as the team struggled to 139 for 9.Asad Pathan’s swashbuckling 87 not out led Gujarat to an eight-wicket win over Maharashtra. Chasing a target of 148, Pathan dominated the bowlers to take his side to victory in 14.2 overs. His innings included six fours and seven sixes. Earlier, Gujarat restricted Maharashtra to 147 for 8, led by Nikhil Naik’s 52. Mehul Patel and Akshar Patel picked up three wickets apiece.

North Zone

Himachal Pradesh won a low-scoring thriller by one run against Services in Rohtak. Almost all of Services’ bowlers contributed, with Himachal Pradesh stuttering to 78 all out in the 19th over. Only three batsmen got into double-figures, as Shadab Nazar and Abhishek Sakuja picked up three a piece. Services were in all sorts of trouble, as they limped to 28 for 6. Only the bowlers got into double-digit scores as a few run-outs at the end of the innings ensured Himachal held on for a one-run victory, with Sakuja run out of the penultimate ball.Haryana’s bowlers contributed to their victory over Punjab by 47 runs in Rohtak. Haryana scored 150 for 4 in their 20 overs, led by Sachin Hooda’s 56 and Rahul Dalal’s unbeaten 40. Punjab were unable to string substantial partnerships through the course of their innings, with Ajit Chandila taking three, and Amit Mishra and Harshal Patel picking up two each. They were skittled out for 103 in the 18th over.

East Zone

Assam crumbled to a 53-run defeat against Bengal in Agartala. Set a target of 131, Assam folded for a paltry 77, with only two batsmen scoring runs in double figures. Sayan Mondal was the pick of the Bengal bowlers, picking up 3 for 13, while Shami Ahmed picked up 2 for 13. Earlier, Shreevats Goswami top-scored with 43, as Bengal finished their innings at 130 for 5.
Odisha registered a 22-run win over Tripura in Agartala. Put in to bat, Odisha piled up 172 for 8 in their 20 overs, with half-centuries from Bikas Pati (64) and Govind Podder (52). In reply, Tripura were restricted to 150 for 6. A 58-run, second-wicket partnership between Ajay Ratra and Udiyan Bose gave Tripura a good platform, but Odisha bowler Rakesh Mohanty dismissed three batsmen quickly to leave Tripura 22 runs adrift.

Central Zone

Uttar Pradesh successfully chased Railways target in Nagpur to win by six wickets. After being reduced to 4 for 34, Karan Sharma (62*) and Ashish Yadav (44) led a recovery for Railways to finish on 130 for 5. Praveen Kumar had best figures of 3 for 22. UP were able to string regular partnerships, as Akshdeep Nath and Piyush Chawla finished the game off in the 18th over.Vidarbha edged Rajathan in a low-scoring match in Nagpur by 10 runs. Vidarbha were unable to put together regular partnerships, with Akshay Kolhar top-scoring with 34 at the top of the order. Aniket Choudhary and Ashok Menaria picked up three wickets apiece, as Vidarbha stuttered to 113 for 9. Rajasthan started in horror fashion, reduced to 6 for 4. All of Rajasthan’s bowlers picked up wickets, led by Amol Jungade’s 3 for 12. Contributions from Dishant Yagnik (26), Raman Chahar (17) and Madhur Khatri (15*) were not enough as they finished 10 short of the target.

South Zone

L Balaji’s four-wicket haul helped Tamil Nadu beat Andhra by eight wickets. Batting first, Andhra were dismissed for 106, as Balaji and Rahil Shah struck regularly. AG Pradeep tried guiding Andhra towards a substantial total, but had no support from the other batsmen. In reply, Tamil Nadu chased down the total with ease, guided by unbeaten 30s from Abhinav Mukund and S Badrinath.Kerala registered a six-wicket win against Hyderabad in Shimoga, reaching their target with two balls to spare. Put in to bat, Hyderabad scored 133 for 6, affected by two run-outs in the innings. In reply, Kerala were cruising at 123 for 2 in the 18th over, before the wickets of Nikhilesh Surendran and Sachin Baby slowed down the chase. They eventually scored the winning runs in the 20th over.Fifties from openers Mayanka Agarwal and Manish Pandey helped Karnataka ease past Goa by nine wickets in Shimoga. Chasing a total of 120 for victory, the openers put on 108 runs before Pandey guided the side home in the 19th over. Earlier, Goa were hampered due to as many as three run-outs in their innings. Wicketkeeper Keenan Vaz top scored with 38.

Jesse Ryder is unlikely to be considered for a central contract or selected for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, according to David White, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2012Jesse Ryder, the New Zealand batsman, is unlikely to be considered for a central contract or selected for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, according to David White, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive. White said that Ryder needs to prove his “commitment to the game” before he could be considered for national selection once again.”No, I don’t think so,” White told , responding to a question on whether Ryder’s IPL form puts him into contention for the summer’s tour to the Caribbean. “It is great that he is playing cricket again but he is a fair way from being considered for New Zealand.”He needs to prove to the selectors and New Zealand Cricket his commitment to the game, and that means on and off the field. He needs to do a lot of work on a lot of things like fitness, attitude … and be exemplary off the park.”Ryder has scored 217 runs in seven games for Pune Warriors so far, with two half-centuries. He had travelled to India for the IPL with a support structure consisting of his manager and clinical psychologist in place, coming off an ‘indefinite break’ from cricket that he had announced in March. That announcement came after Ryder was dropped from the New Zealand squad for the third ODI against South Africa for breaking team protocol and then left out of the Test series as well.When Ryder had announced his participation in the IPL, White had extended his support. “It’s really positive that Jesse has reached the point where here is ready to play competitive cricket again,” he had said. “He has clear expectations from NZC in terms of what is required from him to make a return to international cricket and playing in the IPL is a good first step. We are proud of the progress he has made and we will continue to support him through what has been a tough time.”Ryder has had a history of disciplinary issues, prompting questions about his commitment to New Zealand cricket. Previously, in August 2010, he was fined for “intoxicated and rowdy” behaviour at a hotel during an indoor cricket tournament and he said he had feared for his career while NZC was investigating the incident. The most serious of Ryder’s indiscretions was in 2008, when he put his right hand through a glass window during a late-night session at a Christchurch bar. In January 2009, NZC said Ryder had given up alcohol after another incident, which resulted in him missing an ODI against West Indies.

Michael Clarke has said Ricky Ponting is on the brink of one of the best series of his career

Firdose Moonda in Centurion18-Oct-2011Without the burden of captaincy, the pressures of leading the world’s best one-day team and the complications that come with being the man in charge, Ricky Ponting is a freer man. According to new Australia captain, Michael Clarke, he is also a fiercer one.”I have a feeling he is on the brink of having one of the best series of his career,” Clarke said. “Watching him in the nets, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets Man of the Series in the one-dayers and is our leading run-scorer in the Tests.”Such a vote of confidence comes after Ponting finished as the second-highest run-scorer for Australia in their ODI series against Sri Lanka in August and scored 87 for Tasmania against Western Australia last week. To have a senior player in good nick will serve Clarke, who is still in his early days as captain, in good stead. “Ricky has been a big help to me throughout my career,” he said. “He is a wonderful guy, very experienced and talented, still has a lot to offer in Australian cricket in both ODIs and Tests.”After leading Australia to victories in Bangladesh and the ODI and Test contests in Sri Lanka, Clarke faces arguably the biggest challenge of his leadership so far, in South Africa. Apart from the famous rivalry between the two countries, there are rankings at stake in both formats and Clarke recognises that it will be a significant test of his leadership.”It’s always great when you get the chance to play against tough opposition. I have enjoyed every challenge I have had against them,” Clark said. “They are a very strong, experienced team. They’ve got some youngsters as well, who haven’t played much cricket which is pretty similar to our team.”Australia’s youth have burst onto the scene, with teenage paceman Pat Cummins stealing the headlines after his performances in the two T20s. He was fast-tracked into their Test squad and many feel he is on the brink of something special. Clarke was measured in his praise of Cummins, compared to T20 captain Cameron White and New South Wales team-mate Shane Watson, but recognised his potential. “He is very exciting young prospect, he can bowl fast, he can move the ball and for a youngster he has great knowledge of fast bowling.”He was equally conservative about the other prospects, James Pattinson and Mitchell Marsh, and made it clear that they will have to graft to make their names. “I’m excited to see the guys get an opportunity to stake their claim and now they have got hold of their chance and are playing for Australia.”It’s in the fast-bowling department that Australia have sprouted talent and Clarke said that has more to do with the conditions in South Africa than the need to look for replacements for the likes of Brett Lee. “We’re just trying to pick the right combination for where we are playing. Having two spinners and four quicks is the right mix, now we are just trying to pick the best 11 on the day.”Clarke said Australia will put their best foot forward, particularly because have their status as the No. 1 ranked ODI team in mind and want to hold on to it. “It’s certainly something that we are aware of and very proud of. Hopefully we can continue playing good cricket and stay on top.” South Africa could close that gap to a fraction if they win all three matches in the series. Hashim Amla said the team has not even thought about that because “they have bigger things to worry about.”Michael Clarke on Ricky Ponting: “I have a feeling he is on the brink of having one of the best series of his career.”•Associated Press

Amla, himself, forms one of the sub-plots of the series, which was initially supposed to be a contest of the young leaders between AB de Villiers and Clarke. He said he is “enjoying it although it is taking some getting used to.” While Clarke did not give an appraisal of Amla’s leadership, he said the stand-in skipper may be under some strain. “I think it’s more of a concern that they haven’t got AB. He is a very good player. They’ll certainly miss him and there’ll be a little bit of extra pressure on Hashim’s shoulders.”The return of Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn had Amla beaming as he welcomed back “familiar personnel” but the resumption of a format of the game in which has excelled seemed to please Amla more. Amla had only played three T20s for South Africa before captaining in the previous two and was dismissed cheaply both times. Now, he returns to the fifty-over game, where he is the world’s top ranked batsmen and it seems he enjoyed the extra time it allows. “It will give us more time to assess and it’s not just a case of one the day someone makes a big impact,” he said.Amla also hoped the change in format would result in a change in fortune for his opening partner Graeme Smith, who was in miserable touch in the T20s, after making his return from injury. “There is a lot more time to build innings so hopefully he will do well.”

The decision to have a modified DRS made mandatory across Tests and ODIs is being considered a victory by both sides

Sharda Ugra in Hong Kong27-Jun-2011The decision to make a modified DRS mandatory across Tests and ODIs is being considered a victory by both sides. The BCCI was quick to emphasise that they had not changed their stance on the DRS and the ICC was confident it had won over the last and strongest opponent of the review system in its previous form.At the end of a day that contained several meetings at the annual conference in Hong Kong, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat had only one comment to make. “This is only the end of day two of what is a Test match,” he told ESPNcricinfo as he left a cocktail party held for all the delegates.The DRS decision had not been brought to a vote during the morning session of the chief executives’ committee meeting. Later in the afternoon, the word “unanimous” was quickly and repeatedly used to explain how smoothly all the differences had been resolved.The discussions over the DRS and the FTP were expected to begin on the first day of the ICC’s conference, along with the cricket committee’s other recommendations concerning playing conditions. ESPNcricinfo learned that they were deferred to the second day because there were said to be fairly frosty exchanges during the meeting. Members were given the impression by the BCCI’s statements that there was a possibility that the FTP’s final design could be linked to their opinions on how the DRS recommendation was handled at the meeting. Some officials strongly implied this was the case, though others like Gerald Majola, the Cricket South Africa chief executive, dismissed it outright.The FTP agreement, which has been sent up to the ICC’s executive board for approval, is vital for all Members as television rights are sold based on the itineraries drawn up in advance. The presence of India in the schedule brings the largest chunk of member boards’ earnings. It is important to note that seven of the ten Full Member nations (excluding Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India) will draft new television deals in the next 12 months. Any freeze in relations with India reflecting in the FTP would have a direct bearing on the value of those broadcasting agreements.When the meetings resumed on Monday the common opinion was that, while everyone agreed on the necessity of the DRS, it would be advisable to opt only for the technologies that everyone agreed with. This led to the ball-tracking technology being removed and the infra-red camera being included in the list of mandatory requirements for the DRS.The BCCI’s acceptance of the DRS is particularly ironic. The suggestion of a review system for umpiring decisions was first brought to the ICC’s attention, an official said, “about six to eight years ago,” by Duncan Fletcher – then coaching England but now working with the Indian team. In his first press conference as India coach, Fletcher’s comment on the DRS was cut short by the BCCI secretary N Srinivasan with the statement, “Mr. Fletcher doesn’t know BCCI’s stance on DRS”. It has now changed. Or perhaps it has been allowed to stay the same.

Aamer Bashir, a first-class stalwart in Pakistan, lost a long-running battle to cancer on Monday morning. He was 38

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2010Aamer Bashir, a first-class stalwart in Pakistan, lost a long-running battle to cancer on Monday morning. He was 38.Bashir, from Multan, was a prolific middle-order batsman through the 1990s and 2000s, making a name for himself initially with Multan, United Bank Limited and Pakistan Customs.He was, according to domestic team-mates, a man for a crisis, regularly bailing out sides with faltering top orders. He was as adept at stemming a collapse as launching a counter and his limited overs record – he averaged just under 40 in 50-over games – is testament to his attacking instincts.He was good enough to be on the fringes of Pakistan selection for a sustained period in the earlier part of the decade; Pakistan’s middle-order strength was such, however, that the closest he got was being selected in Pakistan’s squad for the one-off ODI against India in Kolkata in November 2005.But deteriorating health steadily brought him down. He played his last first-class game in February 2009 and continued playing league cricket in England. His best days were, however, gone and he had been fighting cancer on and off by then.He was a popular team-man and over the years friends such as Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Rashid Latif and Basit Ali – all current or former Pakistan internationals – worked hard to ensure he received proper medical treatment.

Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lanka’s former captain and newly-appointed chairman of selectors, has singled out winning the World Cup in 2011 as his “primary responsibility” in his latest role

Sa'adi Thawfeeq31-May-2010Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lanka’s former captain and newly-appointed chairman of selectors, has singled out winning the World Cup in 2011 as his “primary responsibility” in his latest role. de Silva, who scored an unbeaten century to take Sri Lanka to their only World Cup win, in 1996 against Australia in Lahore, said the national team had to win some major tournaments in its preparation for the ultimate prize, admitted it needed improvement at the top of the order and defended the 40-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya, who had a forgettable World Twenty20.”My primary aim is to help Sri Lanka win another World Cup,” de Silva told reporters in Colombo. “I’ve wanted another team to win a World Cup so that the people of Sri Lanka have something to talk about.”The other members of the committee are Ranjit Fernando, Amal Silva and Shabbir Asgerally. All four members have served in the capacity as selectors in previous committees.While acknowledging the need for the selectors to get the right combination ready for the World Cup, de Silva said a significant share of the responsibility had to come from the players. “A player must have the experience of having played in at least a minimum of 50 ODIs to be able to handle difficult situations when it comes to a World Cup,” he said. “We’ve got only nine months and to give a new player that amount of exposure is not adequate. We need to have some players with a mixture of experience and youth who can handle difficult situations. That’s our plan going forward to build up that combination.”For me this bunch of cricketers has talent and ability, we just need to put a few things right and win some major tournaments. To do that, a big part of the commitment and responsibility must come from the players.”While spelling out the areas Sri Lanka need to improve ahead of the World Cup, de Silva said: “The top of the batting order is a matter of concern. What we’ve realized is if the two openers fail we need someone to come and consolidate the innings. In a situation like that when we are looking around for options and if you can’t find suitable replacements then we are not prepared.”There has been plenty of criticism surrounding Jayasuriya’s performances in the recent past, with many calling on him to quit. de Silva, however, said Sri Lanka had to consider all options for the World Cup. “We know what Jayasuriya is capable of. We must have a proper replacement for every position. We have nine months to prepare for the World Cup and we have not discarded anyone so far and decided on the positions they should play.”You have to be fair to Sanath. He’s shown what he is capable of and he has performed over the years and done so much for the country. We should respect that. It’s fair that we look at every player the same way whether it is the youngest player or the most senior player. Anyone who gets out of hand which will affect the team, that is where when we will step in.”de Silva added the sports minister had given the selection committee an assurance that there won’t be any interference. “If he has any queries and if the people are questioning I am quite willing to listen to that and give them an opportunity and explain for what reasons we have taken certain decisions,” de Silva said.

Punjab’s Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh put on a record-breaking 298 for the opening wicket against Saurashtra

Shashank Kishore01-Jan-2025

Mayank hits purple patch

Mayank Agarawal, the Karnataka captain, recorded his third straight List A century, in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. However, it wasn’t enough as Hyderabad chased down 322 with two balls to spare. Hyderabad’s chase was fuelled by Tilak Varma, who laid the foundation with a 106-ball 99.After four games, Agarawal is currently the second-highest run-getter in the 50-over competition, having racked up 428 runs in five innings. His strike rate of 117.26 is the highest among the current top five run-scorers.Agarawal’s up-turn in form comes at a time when Karnataka’s senior players are all on notice, with the selectors keen on handing opportunities to younger players. The selection churn has already led to the likes of Manish Pandey and K Gowtham finding themselves out of favour, while a number of other senior players, like R Samarth and Karun Nair, have found homes with other state sides.Related

• Ayush Mhatre breaks Yashasvi Jaiswal's record for youngest to hit 150-plus in men's List A

• Anmolpreet Singh hits third-fastest List A century off just 35 balls in Vijay Hazare Trophy

• Samson and Pandey excluded from Vijay Hazare Trophy squads

Agarawal, who went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, has been in patchy form this season. He managed just 179 innings in seven innings at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. More importantly, he presided over Karnataka’s group-stage exit. In seven innings in the first half of the Ranji season, Agarawal managed just 203 runs at an average of 29.With four wins in five games, Karnataka are currently second in Group C, tied on 16 points with toppers Punjab. Mumbai, the T20 champions, are currently third with 12 points.

Nair leads from the front

Elsewhere, Agarawal’s former Karnataka teammate, Nair, has been in rip-roaring form for Vidarbha, whom he’s also captaining. Unbeaten in the competition, Nair’s scores so far read: 112*, 44*, 163* and 111*. The last of those knocks, also the most recent one, was instrumental in Vidarbha knocking the wind out of Tamil Nadu in Visakhapatnam, whose knockouts qualification has taken a slight hit.Nair currently sits on top of the run charts, his 430 runs in four innings coming at a strike rate of 116.21. His form has coincided with Vidarbha topping Group D with four wins in as many matches. Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are currently second and third.Nair was also the team’s top-scorer at SMAT.File Photo: Prabhsimran Singh made 125 off 95 balls against Saurashtra•BCCI

Abhishek, Prabhsimran set records

Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh, Punjab’s openers, put on 298 in their 424 for 5 against Saurashtra, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.This is the joint second-highest opening stand in the tournament history, equalling the record set by Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sudip Gharami in 2022.Abhishek, also Punjab’s captain, hit a career-best 170, off just 96 balls, while Prabhsimran hit 125. The record for the highest opening stand is currently held by Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan and B Sai Sudharsan, who put on 416 against Arunachal in November 2022.Punjab’s 424 is also the joint fifth-highest total in Vijay Hazare history. Saurashtra’s Arpit Vasavada was their top scorer with 104, but they fell 57 short eventually.A game prior to that, Arshdeep Singh recorded his second List A five-for, taking 5 for 38, as Punjab beat Mumbai, in Ahmedabad. Prabhsimran then hit an unbeaten 150, off 101 balls, as Punjab chased down 249 in just 29 overs to gain a massive net-run-rate advantage over the rest of the pack.Earlier in the tournament, Prabhsimran’s cousin, Anmolpreet Singh, recorded the third-fastest List A hundred – off 35 balls – against Arunachal.

Mhatre – fast climbing up the ladder

Mumbai’s Ayush Mhatre set a new record for the youngest player to score 150-plus in List A cricket, during Mumbai’s clash against Nagaland on Tuesday. Mahtre did it at 17 years and 268 days, bettering Yashasvi Jaiswal’s record (17 years, 291 days).Mhatre, who made his debut for Mumbai earlier this season, clobbered 11 sixes and 15 fours to make 181 off only 117 balls while powering his side to an imposing 403 for 7, which was 189 too many for Nagaland.

No final-day play possible in match that was blighted by the weather from the first day

ECB Reporters Network06-May-2024Middlesex 407 for 8 (Robson 162, du Plooy 131) drew with Leicestershire 306 (Handscomb 109, Bamber 4-68) Middlesex’s Vitality County Championship clash with Leicestershire ended in a damp squib of a draw with no play possible on the final day.The hosts led by 101 with two wickets left going into day four, but the rain which washed out the first day’s action returned with a vengeance early on the final morning drenching the outfield.Umpires Paul Baldwin and Robert White gave the ground every chance to recover, calling an early tea at 3:10pm following a 2:35pm inspection. However, further rain in the interim led to the abandonment at 3:25pm.
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The hosts earn 15 points to Leicestershire’s 12 leaving them both on 68 points, six shy of leaders Sussex. Middlesex however sit above the Foxes in the table on games won.Toby Roland-Jones, Middlesex’s captain, said: “It’s frustrating. We’ve lost two full days of a game we feel we’ve played pretty good cricket in and certainly the only reason we’ve ended up only 100 ahead is through I guess trying to fast forward things a little bit on that third evening.”When you find yourselves here with the way this place can dry and have two days where it hasn’t stopped raining is incredibly rare. Once you get that window here it can be pretty good to go in a couple of hours, so we’ve just been unlucky that’s not been the case.”The most important thing is we can be happy about the way we have gone about our cricket once more. Set 300 to try and hunt and get past, the guys went about it with great skill. That partnership between Robbo (Sam Robson) and Leus (Du Plooy) was obviously great to watch.”

Farbrace recruits veteran seamer and reliable allrounder for 2024 season

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2023Chris Wright, Leicestershire’s veteran seamer, will join Sussex from the start of the 2024 season on a two-year contract, with Lancashire allrounder Danny Lamb also making the move to the south coast.Wright, who turns 38 next month, has claimed 567 wickets at 32.30 in a 196-match first-class career that has spanned 20 seasons. His best innings figures of 7 for 53 came against Gloucestershire at Bristol in 2021.He will be available for all formats for Sussex, having picked up 174 domestic white-ball wickets in his career. This season, he has found a strong vein of form with the bat as well, averaging 56.8 in 10 innings in the County Championship. This includes twin scores of 66 not out and 40 not out in a memorable win against Yorkshire at Headingley.”I am delighted to be joining Sussex for the 2024 season and beyond,” Wright said. “I have long admired the club and am looking forward to contributing to its future success.”Speaking to Paul Farbrace [head coach] and having played against the team a number of times I am excited to be joining such a talented and ambitious group. Hopefully, I will take lots of wickets and provide some valuable experience to the team.”Farbrace added: “I’m delighted that Chris has committed the next two seasons to joining our project at Hove. He is a vastly experienced cricketer who will bring skill, experience, and a huge passion for the game.”Chris is someone I have admired for a long time, and his quality with the ball will be fantastic for our developing team and will help us to win matches.”Sussex will be the fifth county of Wright’s first-class career, following earlier stints at Essex and Middlesex, as well as a successful period at Warwickshire between 2011 and 2018, where he helped win the County Championship in 2012.Related

• Sussex close in on victory to cap a season of awkward progress

• Paul Nixon leaves post as Leicestershire head coach under 'mutual agreement'

• Leicestershire 'investigating allegations' amid Nixon's sudden departure

• Yorkshire bring Moriarty in as Championship spin cover

• Paul Nixon relieved of duties as Leicestershire head coach

Lamb, meanwhile, joins on a three-year deal. “I’m extremely excited for the opportunity,” he said. “A brilliant new challenge and one which I feel has come at the right stage in my career.”I’ve always enjoyed playing against Sussex and at Hove. I like what Sussex are about and the vision for the future with Paul Farbrace at the helm of a young ambitious squad. I can’t wait to get going and I look forward to contributing to the team in all formats.”Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket, said: “Danny has found first-team opportunities limited over the last couple of years, so we completely understand the decision he’s made moving to Sussex. We wish him all the best for the next stage of his career.”A medium-paced allrounder, Lamb has an impressive record across formats but has struggled for game-time at Lancashire this year and has recently been playing for Gloucestershire on loan.

England vice-captain seeks to stay on a roll against an India side expected to fight back in second ODI

Valkerie Baynes29-Jun-2021After rediscovering some fine form with the bat, Nat Sciver is targeting more in Taunton, where she expects India to show some fight as England hunt an unassailable lead in the ODI leg of their multi-format series.England lead the series by four points to two after drawing the Test and then winning the first of three ODIs resoundingly in Bristol on Sunday, when Sciver and Tammy Beaumont combined for an unbroken third-wicket stand worth 119.Sciver had spoken in the lead-up to the Test, also in Bristol, of her hunger for more runs after scores of 7, 10 and 9* in the opening rounds of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and 2 for England against England A in a warm-up for the India series.After contributing a valuable 42 in the Test, Sciver kicked on with 74 not out as England’s batting depth was scarcely tested in an eight-wicket victory secured with 15.1 overs to spare.Related

• Sciver: England wary of 'fearless' India as they approach Test learning curve

• 1st ODI: England thrash India by eight wickets with all-round display

• Beaumont continues in 'ruthless, relentless' groove as England cruise

• Raj bemoans lack of strike rotation after India slip to heavy defeat

Turning her attention to Taunton, where England can go 2-0 up in the three-match 50-over series on Wednesday, Sciver was hopeful that her latest knock is a sign of more to come.”I’m really happy that I managed to put a partnership together with Tammy because in the games leading up to the series I’d been a bit frustrated in not being able to get a score,” Sciver said. “We’d spoken about having a partnership over 100 and just making sure that we were clinical so I was very happy to be out there at the end with her and I felt like I was in a good spot to push on.”Beaumont has been in scintillating touch, her unbeaten 87 marking the fourth time in as many ODIs that she has passed fifty and coming after another half-century in the Test. Most encouraging for Sciver, the England vice-captain, was that her return to form required no changes to technique or mindset.”I haven’t done anything different, just being patient,” Sciver added. “I was quite easily frustrated in the domestic games we had before the series, wanting to get a score just to feel good, but I was patient and just played my natural game, hit straight and made use of the bad ball.”It felt good to be out there in the middle with Tammy in the other game so hopefully it can be more of the same.”But where patience proved to be a virtue for Sciver, it was India’s undoing, their overall run rate of 4.02 ultimately taking them to a below-par 201 for 8 from their 50 overs, which included 181 dot balls. India posted 27 for 2 in the first powerplay and they took until the 32nd over to reach the 100 mark, captain Mithali Raj’s 72 holding the innings together but coming off 108 deliveries.Sciver expects to see a different approach from India in the day-night match in Taunton.Sciver’s partnership with Tammy Beaumont in Bristol was match-winning•PA Photos/Getty Images

“If we were in that position, we’d want to certainly punch back a bit harder and make sure that we don’t do the same things again,” she said. “So we’re expecting India to come out with a bit of fight tomorrow.”But hopefully with our skill that we’ve got with the ball and ruthlessness with the bat we can put on a good performance again.”England, whose victory in the first ODI was set up by a strong all-round bowling display led by Sophie Ecclestone’s 3 for 40, could be well-served targeting India’s dangerous openers again.Having removed destructive hitter Shafali Verma, making her ODI debut after twin half-centuries in her maiden Test the week before, and fellow Smriti Mandhana cheaply thanks to seamers Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole – who claimed two wickets each – the hosts were in a strong position to keep a lid on India’s scoring and put pressure on the middle order.”Their line-up is obviously very powerful at the top,” Sciver said. “The importance of the first 10 from our bowlers was massive and Anya and Katherine showed their class and really put the pressure on, made it hard for them to score, and then they had to go for a big shot.”